


Nightmares Among Us

by Karwin



Category: Original Work
Genre: Supernatural - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-13
Updated: 2019-09-12
Packaged: 2020-10-17 11:47:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20620523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Karwin/pseuds/Karwin
Summary: Hiri has a very unfortunate job. He doesn't like to complain. Lots of people have shitty jobs. Mind you not a lot of them involve nearly dying on a daily basis to prevent demons and spirits killing people, but it still beat the hell out of working at a call center.





	1. Chapter 1

How bad must things have gotten for me that looking at a ripped up priest didn't even crack the top twenty in terms of disturbing sights for me? 

I shook my head as I looked away from the poor guy, or what was left of him, and pressed my ear-pierce, “You sure this is for us Richie?” I asked. 

I wasn't even sure why I was asking. If it wasn't, we wouldn't have heard about it. “The scans I got are definitely showing traces of infernal activity,” Richie says, “But I'll grant you it is a bit strange.” 

I nodded, more to myself than Richie since he wasn't actually present. It wasn't like demons didn't have a vested interest in clipping a holy man, but he'd been killed immediately outside the church. Demons tended to steer clear of the actual holy buildings on account of every single brick in it being capable of harming them on a cellular level. 

“You do some looking around, I'll see what I can find on 'priest killing demons'.” Richie said before getting off the com. I sighed, looking over the scene. The local cops had already swept the area and found no trail. 

They were operating under the belief that the attack was a hate crime, which was a fair assumption for what they knew I guessed. I closed my eyes, holding a hand out and whispering.

I'd learned quite a lot of Latin for simple spells. No idea what the words I was actually saying translated to, just memorized the right sounds. A few sentences and a moment of focus and I could see a trail on the ground; black marks blotching the ground of the otherwise consecrated land. 

I sighed, confirming for Richie that this was indeed for us, and heading after the trail. The moment I left the city limits I drew my gun. Didn't want to get blindsided while I had my eyes on the tracks. Around the time I found the old burnt up building in the woods, Richie got back to me, “I think I've got something.” I approached the house cautiously. 

The tracks didn't just lead here, they were all over the place. Whatever this was had been here for awhile. Waiting, preparing. What for, I didn't know, but I was willing to bet that killing one priest was not where it ended.

“Let me hear it.” I said quietly as I headed up the steps. The door nearly fell off its hinges just from the light tap I gave to open it up.

“Gagoze,” Richie said, “Old, rare kind of demon. First discovered in Japan and known for targeting priests and monks right outside their places of worship just to make a statement. Not much more resistance to normal holy enchantments, so I guess they've just more pride than they do brains.” 

“Got it, so normal exorcism will work?” I asked hopefully. 

“Might wanna take it up to tier three. Pretty strong. Weakening it physically wouldn't hurt either ac-” 

I'd only taken a few steps into the old, dusty building when an arm came out of nowhere and sent me through the window.

No glass thankfully, not that it made much of a difference to my sore hip when I landed. Adrenaline and instinct make it easier to ignore pain though, so when the Gagoze was in line of sight, staring out at me through the window with big yellow eyes, I was already aiming and ready to take three shots at it. 

It staggered back from the shot as I forced myself up, rushing back towards the house. 

“You alright Hiri?” Richie questioned. 

“Yeah, just took a sideswipe from our creepy-crawly.” I said, this time actually taking the door off as I rushed into the old house, nearly getting knocked back off my feet by the demon's charge.

I actually got a good look at it this time as I back away from where it had collided, gun raised to keep it from coming at me. 

Thing stood a little over seven feet, with a body like a gorilla; but with scales instead of fur and visible bones where you'd expect to see veins on a normal creature. It turned to me as I started the chant, “Regna terrae, cantata Deo, psallite Cernunnos, Regna terrae, cantata Dea psallite Aradia.” 

I had to pause to take another two shots at the thing as it started to advance at me. I suppose I could have kept talking, but whenever a sane human sees something take two bullets in the chest and not stop moving, it sets off some kind of innate internal alarm bell, and I had to back off before I could continue the chant. 

“Caeli Deus, Deus terrae, Humiliter majestati gloriae tuae supplicamus Ut ab omni infernalium spirituum potestate, Laqueo, and deceptione nequitia, Omnis fallaciae, libera nos, dominates.” 

I hit a wall, firing the last bullet and nailing the Gagoze in the jaw. This seemed to do a little more damage, the creature hesitating and giving off a loud, guttural groan as it clutched at its face. 

“Exorcizamus you omnis immundus spiritus Omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio, Infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, Omnis and congregatio secta diabolica.” 

The Gagoze could probably feel the white magic gathering around it from the words being spoken, and it didn't take too kindly to them. 

It charged at me from a doubled over position like an annoyed bull. I side-stepped the charge-still getting my right side slammed against the wall in the process, and grunting as I drove my gun into the demon's jaw, pistol-whipping the bullet wound I'd given it to make it back off. 

“Ab insidiis diaboli, libera nos, dominates, Ut coven tuam secura tibi libertate servire facias, Te rogamus, audi nos! Ut inimicos sanctae circulae humiliare digneris, Te rogamus, audi nos!  
Terribilis Deus Sanctuario suo, Cernunnos ipse truderit virtutem plebi Suae, Aradia ipse fortitudinem plebi Suae.” 

The Gagoze let out a shriek, a muddy yellow liquid leaving its mouth and causing sparks on the floor where they landed. Not having much time left, the Gagoze resorted to the caveman approach, simply ripping boards from the floor and sending them flying at me. 

I dropped to the floor, making a mental note to keep more weapons on me when entering unknown locations, and got the last words of the chant out.

“Benedictus Deus, Gloria Patri, Benedictus Dea, Matri gloria!” 

The Gagoze's mouth opened for another scream, but it was entirely silent as its frog-like face contorted into an expression of pure agony. Its entire body shook as it staggered back as smoke began to rise from it, spreading over the body of the beast and dissolving all it touched. 

In a matter of moments, the only thing left of the monster was the corruption around the house, which could be wiped away with some basic purification. 

“Gagoze is down.” I grunted into the com, “Body is hurt. Hiri needs a nap.”


	2. Chapter 2

I've seen a lot of strange things doing what I do. There's no possible way for me to have the job I do without it. 

But every so often I come across something so bizarre, so out there, that even I doubt if it's real. When you've got the monster hunter doubting reality, something has gone very wrong somewhere.

Richie isn't my own help in the field. He's my go to of course, but on occasion, I find something Richie's tech can't help with. Tonight was one of those times.

I gathered a small assortment of plants in a circle and lit the incense. The smoke swirled around above the plants, blurring together and darkening until they all turned pitch black. After a few moments of this, Erika stepped out of the cloud, her bare feet landing gracefully on the grass.

Erika doesn't actually work for the same people I do. Quite the opposite frankly, but she's been a friend to me and Richie for a long time and helps out however she can. Erika's skill as a combination guru, oracle, and sage had saved both of our hides more than once. 

Technically you could also refer to her as a witch doctor, but I'd learned the hard way that she... took rather poorly that term. And may heaven and hell have mercy if you refer to her as an alchemist.

"Hello Hiri," She greeted me with a smile as she brushed off the dust the vapor portal had left on her, "What will it be tonight?" 

"Holy oil. Lots and lots of holy oil." I said.

"What trouble have you stirred up this time?" Erika asked as she took out her pouch to begin brewing up the material, “Another demon baron?”

"Not exactly.. Might want to sit down for this one." I told her, slightly worried that even after everything we'd been through in the past she wouldn't be able to believe what I'd seen.

"Hiri, I live in a man-made mountain range hidden by rune stones, nothing can surprise me anymore." Erika says. 

"Really now? Hold onto that thought." I said, wanting to maintain 'I told you so' rights. Began to explain.

(

* * *

)

I was on my way to the hotel I was staying at for the night. I was on foot, as I was, lets say, sobriety challenged at the time. Plastered or no, I still recognized unfamiliar growls when I heard them.

I don't get caught off guard, just on principle at this point. I took another drink and reached for my gun as I turned to face the source of the noise. When I saw it, said gun was dropped to the ground as I began to wonder what in the fuck had been added to my drink. 

My hand to god, standing before me was a living umbrella.

(

* * *

)

"I'm sorry, what?" Erika questioned. 

"Please don't make me say it again." I groaned, rubbing my temples as I recalled the appearance of the creature.

(

* * *

)

It's handle ended on its one uncomfortably organic leg to stand on. It had claws sticking from either side, a single eye, and a mouth full of fangs; it's tongue lulled as if it were drunk too. 

I just watched it for awhile, trying to wrap my brain around what I was seeing. It did the same, just... watching me.

I looked at the bottle in my hand, then poured it out on the ground. I turned and continued on my way, but was stopped by the umbrella monster-

(

* * *

)

"Nope, can't say that with a strait face."

(

* * *

)

-tackling me. When I got off the ground and the... thing was still there, I decided to believe it was real. I grabbed my gun and fired. The shot made direct contact, but didn't seem to do anything other than knock it over.

It was back up in seconds and now it was angry. It tried to tackle me again, but this time I saw it coming and caught it. It almost wriggled out of my hands when I notice that a truck was coming down the road. I tossed the thing onto the road and seconds later it was sucked under an eighteen wheeler.

When the truck passed there was nothing left but scraps. I was about to go back on my way, then the pieces started sliding back together. Thinking fast I took out a jar and poured the remaining holy oil onto the slowly reforming monster. 

After that, I lit a match, flicked it towards the creature. The holy oil didn't stop burning until there was nothing left but ash.

I waited a few moments to make sure it was really down, then called Richie. "Rich, you aren't going believe this one."

(

* * *

)

"Richie said it was called a karakasa-obake. Say that three times fast I dare you." I chuckled.

"So what exactly is a Karak-whatever?" Erika asked.

"According to Richie, if an inanimate item, like for example, an umbrella, is left in tact for one hundred years, then it will come to life. They're more well known in the east, but they can pop up anywhere so long as something lasts long enough." 

"I've heard legends, but I never knew anything like that could actually happen." Erika said. 

"Oh it gets worse. I followed the things tracks to see where it came from. I found an old mansion. After a little research, it turns out that the people who lived in that mansion wanted to leave behind a legacy. 

The place was filled with Karakasa-obake. Clocks, chairs, cloth, everything, including the kitchen sink, was running around in there. They were all gathered around some old timey calendar. 

Tomorrows date was circled. They were all dancing around, hooting and hollering. I don't know what had them so exciting, but it's happening tomorrow. Hence the holy oil Molotov cocktails."

Me and Erika stood outside the mansion, we could hear the karakasa-obake clambering around inside. 

"On three," I tell her, lighting the cocktails, "Three!" We both started throwing cocktails, holy fire spreading across the mansion, burning the monsters inside.

Slowly, the whole thing began to burn to the ground. 

"Well, that was different. Even for us," Erika said, "What do you think was going to happen tomorrow?" 

"I don't know, but I have a feeling it might have been the mansion's one hundredth birthday."


End file.
